As promised, here is part two of the Saints of the Cheap Seats trade. Dan outdid himself sending over all of those awesome and amazing 1978 Topps cards-like I said there were 120 cards and ten of them featured Hall of Famers, it was an amazing pile of 30+ year old card board and it brought me to 90% completion of the set. Dan also sent over some very nice Tampa Bay Rays cards that are new to my collection. First off, my favorite. Topps Finest, like Bowman Sterling, is an amazing looking; high class set that is just a bit out of my price range. I do love getting these cards in trade, though. This card is a Finest Moments insert from 2008 Finest set; it is card #FM-AS and is serial numbered 93/99.
The card is of Andy Sonnanstine, who had a really terrible season in 2009. I still think he has the “stuff” to be a big league pitcher and I really hope that the Rays don’t give up on him like they did with Jason Hammel, Scott Kazmir and Edwin Jackson. I think Sonny can be a solid 5th or spot starter and I really like this card. He also sent 5 cards from the 2007 Bowman Heritage set. I had been chasing this set, but then I gave up and decided to just go after the Rays cards. With these 5, I think my team set is done.
Unfortunately the ex-Rays (Elijah Dukes, Kazmir, Rocco and Brian Stokes) outnumber the current Rays player pretty badly with Sonny being the lone Ray remaining from this bunch.
He went back a few years prior with the Bowman Heritage, too.
This one of former Rays catcher, Toby Hall. From ex-catcher to current catcher, there is 2009 Topps Gold of Dioner Navarro. I love the 2009 Topps set, it is easily my favorite design of this decade for Topps and it is one of the nicest sets of the year for any brand. The design, photography and composition is all top notch.
Gold and serial numbers make nice cards nicer, he hooked it up with this Gold Navi… I’ve mentioned before that my collection is very, very weak when it comes to cards from the start of this decade. I wasn’t collecting then and many of the cards that I get in trade are more recent ones.
These two Devil Rays sketch cards from the 2001 Topps Gallery set were a real treat for me! I wonder who else is in this set? I think both of these cards would look great signed, so they will hopefully reappear in a TTM success post sometime down the road. Another big thank you to Dan from the Saints of the Cheap Seats blog for hooking it up with this awesome trade! I can't resist re-posting at least one card from before that he sent for my 1978 Topps set... A former starter from Dan's favorite team and a Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley...
I keep on mentioning this, but if you haven't signed up yet for the SotCS group break, I believe there are only a couple of slots available, so get on over there quick before your kicking yourself for missing out!-
http://cheapseatsaints.blogspot.com While you are there, check out his (very well organized) want lists or you can always send him cards of Jim Thome and Omar Vizquel or any Indians for that matter...Thanks again!!! I love being a blogger and I LOVE trading cards! I also have the evening off from work tonight and baseball starts soon!!! Thanks! Go Angels! Go Twins! Troll out
I didn’t like this set when I first saw pictures pop up and the first Rays cards I got I didn’t really care for, but its one of those sets that has REALLY grown on me. I do admit that I am a neo-vintage obsessed collector so this does fall right into my tastes I guess. 
This Carlos Pena is one of my favorite cards of him. I haven’t purchased any myself yet, but I am strongly considering it. I wouldn’t mind starting with 2003 first. My introduction to this set was a card of Justin Schuda (who?) but since then cards have trickled in of all my favorites-Gomes, Brazleton, Grieve and a young and toothpick looking BJ Upton. 
Since I don’t have either year full on the team set I have a page mixed up of both and they all look pretty good together. I know that some people put together Allen and Ginter mini sets of mixed years showing the best card for each number they have. I think I am going to buy a box of 2003 and of 2009 and put together a mixed set. Oh, there are minis too, awesome! I love this hobby! Go Rays! Troll out.
